Community Leaders Speak Out Against Pickering
Community Leaders Speak Out Against Pickering
(Note: several links on this page are to .pdf documents and
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"I am distressed that the Pickering
nomination is still being considered after so many people from
the Fifth Circuit have expressed serious concerns about his
record as a Federal District Court judge. I went to
Washington last week, along with many other citizens of Texas,
Louisiana and Mississippi, to make sure that our
representatives understood that people from the Fifth Circuit
-- and not just "beltway insiders" -- opposed Pickering's
nomination."
Statement
of Richard Glisson on Pickering Nomination, March 6,
2002
(MS
Word)
"As a
fourth-generation Mississippian I am deeply disturbed by the
nomination of Charles Pickering to the Fifth Circuit Court of
Appeals. Last week I was one of many people from
Mississippi, Texas and Louisiana that came all the way to
Washington to express concerns about how his appointment would
affect women and minorities back home. "
Statement
of Betty Thompson in Response to White House Defense
of
Pickering
Nomination, March 6, 2002 (MS Word)
"As a litigant
before Judge Pickering, I have personal knowledge of his
judicial [record], and I am opposed to him on that basis...In
this case in which I appeared before him as a party, Judge
Pickering expressed disagreement with one of our most important
legal principles that have allowed me and countless other
African Americans to be represented by candidates of our
choice...Please encourage your colleagues on the Senate
Judiciary Committee to vote against the Pickering
Nomination."
Eugene Bryant,
Sr, Resident, Monticello, Mississippi, letter to Senator
Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, March 6,
2002
"As a lifelong Mississippian who resides in
Judge Pickering's judicial district and who is active in the
NAACP, I question recent news reports that indicate that Judge
Charles Pickering's personal relationships with residents of
his hometown are better indictors of his future behavior on the
federal bench than consideration of his troubling judicial
record."
Katherine T.
Egland, Gulfport, Mississippi, letter to Senator Patrick Leahy,
Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee, March 5, 2002
"On behalf of the
Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights, I write to oppose
the confirmation of Judge Charles Pickering to the Fifth
Circuit of Appeals...The people of the Fifth Circuit deserve
better than Charles Pickering for their Court of Appeals, and I
urge you again to help defeat his nomination."
Sandra Jaribu
Hill, Executive Director, Mississippi Workers' Center for Human
Rights, letter to Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate
Judiciary Committee, March 6, 2002
"As President of the Louisiana American
Association of University Women (AAUW) and as a resident of the
Fifth Circuit, I oppose the nomination of Southern District of
Mississippi Judge Charles Pickering to the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the Fifth Circuit...I strongly urge the Senate to
deny Charles Pickering a position on the Fifth Circuit and
instead find another candidate who has a demonstrated record of
upholding the rights of all Americans. The people of the Fifth
Circuit deserve no less."
Eileen deHaro,
President, Louisiana AAUW, Statement, February 26,
2002
"The
confirmation of Judge Pickering to the Fifth Circuit Court of
Appeals would further erode the protection of civil and voting
rights of minorities. For these reasons, the members of the JL
Turner Legal Association oppose Charles Pickering's nomination
to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals."
JL Turner Legal
Association [the Dallas, Texas affiliate of the National Bar
Association], Statement, March 6, 2002
The Fifth Circuit is regarded as one of the
most conservative circuits in the country. In recent years, the
court has issued some of the most extreme civil rights rulings
of any court.. The confirmation of Judge Pickering will
continue this downward spiral and will further erode the
protection of civil and voting rights of minorities. For these
reasons, the National Bar Association...the oldest and largest
association of minority lawyers in the world...strongly opposes
the nomination of Judge Charles Pickering, Sr. to the United
States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit."
Michael
S. Rosier, President, National Bar Association, letter to
Senator Patrick Leahy, Chairman, Senate Judiciary Committee,
February 26, 2002
"Based on Judge
Pickering's past as well as his decisions on the bench, MALDEF
concludes that he would not be fair and impartial to claims
brought before the 5th Circuit under various civil rights acts.
For this reason, we must oppose his nomination on behalf of the
Hispanic residents of the 5th Circuit."
Antonia
Hernandez, President and General Counsel, Mexican American
Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), letter to Senate
Judiciary Committee, February 26, 2002
